"I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work and muse on your mighty deeds" (Psalm 77:11-12). As I write this, I'm preparing to spend the next several days in a place that will bring back many memories. When I was a boy, my dad took me to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival every summer. This week, my family and I are going on vacation to join him there. From festivals in my childhood I remember hearing the musicians who inspired me to learn guitar and mandolin, I remember wearing my grandfather's cowboy hat, and I remember the Coke vendor who always gave change in fifty-cent pieces.
From more recent festivals, I can also "call to mind the deeds of the Lord." Ten years ago in Telluride, I felt led into God's presence in worship as Emmylou Harris sang her song "The Pearl." The verses of the song express a pilgrim's heart wandering through a lonely world, thirsting for heaven. Then the chorus brightens with a confidence that defies the heartache of the verses: "We cry Alleluia, we cry Alleluia, we cry Alleluia." Experiencing this at Telluride, I felt like I was worshiping God as deeply as I do in church on Sunday, and I marveled at how many attendees at the festival were being exposed to faith even if they would never normally go near a church. Glory be to God for the Gospel's emergence in unexpected places. Recalling this moment from the past, I look forward to similar moments of basking in his love this week.
What places or events come to mind when you "muse on God's mighty deeds?" How might those memories shape the way you pray today?
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Chris